People who have suffered domestic abuse can now stay in their own homes, rather than be sent to a temporary safe house or hostel, under a new scheme run by Barnet Council, the police and a victims' charity. ALEX GALBINSKI speaks to one of the 17 people who have benefited from the service so far.

She is witty, articulate, intelligent and independent. Nothing like Little Mo from Eastenders. In fact, she fits none of the preconceptions of a domestic abuse victim. Yet she still suffered at the hands of a violent ex-partner who has not yet been brought to justice.

Rebecca, a former businesswoman in her early 40s, now has iron grilles fitted to the windows of her flat, fortified locks on the doors and a panic button with links to the police. In short, she has every form of protection that can be given to her.

Never involved in violent or criminal activity, or brought up around anyone who had been, she only discovered her former partner was a habitual liar and extremely disturbed eight months into the relationship. She had been living with him for three.

"There were signs, of course, but you don't take too much notice of them at the time," she said. "But I thank God there were so many pointers that suggested all was not well. He has to be in a position of power. He wanted absolute control over me, whether I was alive or not."

Rebecca, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, became a victim of an assault in her own home in March. The Police Community Safety Unit told her about the Sanctuary Project that is run via the Domestic Violence Support Service, a charity based in their office.

The Sanctuary Project fortifies the homes of victims of domestic abuse, so that the victims do not have to move out and can feel safe in their own homes again. While 95 per cent of domestic abuse victims are women, the scheme is open to men as well. When both people involved own the home, victims can go to court to get an order to get their abuser out.

Rebecca said: "To be honest, as I was in such a state emotionally, I didn't ask any questions I was in another place in my head because of all that had happened to me. But I needed to feel safer, because it was quite likely that my abuser would come back for me. The scheme has allowed me to see my home as a safe place to be. There is a part of me which thinks, Why should I have to move?' I don't want to move away."

Rebecca is by no means alone in suffering domestic abuse. One in four murders in London are related to domestic violence. In Barnet specifically, around 3,000 domestic incidents were reported to the police last year, with 120 families being made homeless as a result of domestic violence.

But unlike many other victims of domestic abuse, Rebecca has not been forced to move out of her own home.

Piloted in December 2003, the Sanctuary Project went live in May 2004.

It is based on a model developed by Harrow Council and the police in autumn 2002, and has been progressed in partnership with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), Barnet Domestic Violence Support Service and the Barnet Safer Communities Partnership as an alternative to temporary accommodation.

The ODPM has been so impressed with the project that it has referred it to the National Audit Office as an example of best practice in Homelessness Prevention.

Alvin Wade, homeless prevention project manager for Barnet Council, said: "Through this scheme, we are aiming to cut homelessness by 50 per cent because if families have to go into temporary accommodation, there is a financial and social cost of living in cramped conditions and it puts a huge strain on them."

It costs the council £322 per week to keep a family in temporary accommodation, while the average Sanctuary costs are between £600 and £1,200 per family.

Nigel Hamilton, the council's head of housing said: "If we can halve this figure and keep people in their homes, it would be better for them and it would save the council over £1 million a year it makes so much sense."

Since its introduction, 17 families have had their homes fortified. This avoids major upheaval at a particularly traumatic time and ensures that families do not have to cope with added insecurity, including loss of their emotional network such as friends and neighbours.

For safety reasons, the council cannot disclose exact details but the scheme involves physically securing one room in a property to prevent forced entry. This would enable a person in danger at that property to hide in the room, contact police and then safely await their arrival.

PC Duncan Hillcoat, crime reduction officer for Barnet police, said: "It gives the victim a feeling of safety and security and this takes away the fear aspect. It is a sanctuary and provides victims of domestic violence with a much greater degree of home security than they had previously."

The project covers the whole of the borough of Barnet, and applies to any property, regardless of ownership. All referrals go through the borough's specialist unit, the Domestic Violence Support Service.

Contact the Police Community Safety Unit on 020 8733 4573.

A freephone number 0808 2000 247 provides access to 24-hour emergency refuge accommodation as well as an information service.